Campaigners - Get 20mph on Group Meetings/Agendas

Successful ways to campaign for 20mph limits include demonstrating community support to local politicians. Getting on the agenda of each major Party political group meeting can really help councillors to understand and vote for a Total 20mph policy. Win by speaking direct to those with power to set local road speeds

Imagine you are a City or County Councillor. A resident asks you for 20mph limits not just for their street but as a community wide default. The progress of this ask depends on how well you can persuade the majority of councillors (or council members) to understand its benefits, the wide community support for lower speeds and vote for the policy to get it in the council budget.

Each party has a monthly group meeting of just the councillors of each party affiliation e.g. Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem, Green etc. This is an excellent forum for introducing and openly debating Total 20mph to the people that matter. It is where each councillor can ask questions, perhaps have a short campaigner or officer briefing and will have a free vote on whether to make default Total 20mph, (without humps and with exempted roads where warranted) policy for their group / manifesto.

If a 20mph campaigner asks for a short slot on the agenda (via the Group secretary) of e.g. a 5 min presentation and 5 mins of questions then open and free debate and voting is likely. Questions can be asked without other opposing politicians intervening due to party affiliations and old disagreements.

In contrast to full council, a party group meeting tends to be a fairly friendly, harmonious and courteous forum. The position of a group leader is key as he or she makes appointments internally so others often follow their opinion. The mood of the group is what persuades the leader as they need followers to wield real political power in a democracy.

Once a group decision is made by internal vote then all elected council members of that colour are usually 'whipped' to voting en block - as this is more powerful and presents a united force in full council. Free votes are rare in open public forums. Decisions on motions are usually made before the council debate at pre meetings of each party group.

20's Plenty for Us offers campaigners slides and briefing sheets for persuading councillors at political party group meetings. Ask them to authorise a resident consultation or, failing that, a scrutiny report on which roads should be exempted from a wide 20mph limits. Let us know how you get on with asking for a slot on a group meeting agenda and we can train you to present the case and win.

Send an email now to the leader and your own (ideally supportive) ward councillor/s suggesting that they forward a formal request for a 10min 20mph policy discussion slot on their party group meeting to their group secretary and group officers. In councils where there is no overall party political control aim to present to the biggest two party group meetings. Good luck.